Unprecedented demand for George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Alanis Morissette and Colin Hay of Men At Work fame.

All 15,000 tickets for next year’s Taupo Summer Concert have sold out in record time after Greenstone Entertainment announced the annual Summer Concert Tour line up last week for their three date national tour in January 2018.
Show organisers have been blown away by the popularity for next year’s artists, which will feature George Thorogood & The Destroyers, Alanis Morissette and Colin Hay of Men At Work fame, who will be rocking concert goers in Queenstown, Taupo and Whitianga in late January.

Tickets are also in high demand for the Queenstown and Whitianga concerts and Greenstone Entertainment CEO, Amanda Calvert comments “In its 7 year history, this is the first time we have experienced a sell out for one of our shows only 1 week after announcement. It certainly shows our fans love not just the amazing line up of acts we strive to deliver each year, but also the unique afternoon atmosphere and idyllic holiday locations around the country where we’re blessed to hold the concerts. We want to thank everyone for their ongoing support and encourage those still needing tickets for the Queenstown or Whitianga show to secure them before they too sell out.”

If you’re in the Coromandel, there are also a limited amount of local tickets available for each concert for only $89 plus booking fee.

Will be launched at Carson’s Bookshop in Thames at 10.30am – exactly 150 years to the day since the first payable gold was found on the Thames Goldfield. Written by Angela Curtis, The Shotover is about four men who made their fortune from a serendipitous discovery of gold hidden behind the moss of a 20-foot waterfall. They called it ‘The Shotover’. The claim was so rich it yielded quartz half its weight in gold until eventually, they weighed it in tons. Meet the author and hear an excerpt of her book.

Gold fever year is underway, this weekend there is the launch of The Shotover, written by Angela Curtis.

Come and meet our local politicians who will also give a presententation.

The Coromandel is one of the New Zealand’s best hidden playgrounds for multisport and adventure athletes. From surf beaches to sub-alpine native forests, the Coromandel Classic multisport race will challenge individuals and team competitors of all abilities. This year is the 16th event, and event organisers expect the race to be bigger and better than ever.

The Coromandel will once again play host to a round of the 2017 New Zealand Rally Championship on the 26th August, with the organisational team behind Rally New Zealand linking with the Thames-Coromandel District council to base an event from the seaside township of Whitianga. The rally will be based at the Mercury Bay Sports Multi-Sport Park, which will host Rally HQ and the Service Park. Competition will take place over 135 kilometres of special stage on forestry and public roads around the Mercury Bay region. The event will feature gravel roads in the area, some of which were last used for rallying on the 1979 International Motogard Rally of NZ. The event was an exciting new addition to the NZ rally calendar in 2014, and the Coromandel will provide a stunning and backdrop for round 4 of the 2017 NZ Rally Championship.

With the half marathon (21km), the 10km and 5km events, the Whangamata Run Walk Festival offers something for participants of all ages and abilities. All three courses take in spectacular views of ocean beach & pristine bush-clad hills along the way. Enter individually, with friends and family, or gather a team together.

The Whitianga Scallop Festival is a celebration of Whitianga seafood and marine heritage, held annually in September to boost winter tourism numbers. Now in its thirteenth year, the event has grown into one of New Zealand’s iconic seafood celebrations.

What you’ll learn in the workshop:
Is your organisation a charitable trust or incorporated society? Looking to set one up or join one? This workshop is just for you. Great governance can make all the difference for an organisation.
Learn and apply the essentials of good governance, work through the easy to use reference manual of all the essentials of good governance practice.

Toddler Time: Wednesdays at 10am at Mercury Bay Library and Thursdays at 9:30am at Thames Library.

Mums and Bubs: every Wednesday, 10amat Tairua Library.

Book Club: every second Monday of every month the Mercury Bay book club meets at 10:30am, Nina’s Café (next door to Mercury Bay library).

Discover your family historywith local members of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists: third Tuesday of each month from 2pm onward the NZSG take over the Mercury Bay Library to help you discover your family history. The next session will be Tuesday 18th July. Drop in, or phone the library to book a one-on-one slot.

V.I.P. Cards: This winter, Thames-Coromandel Libraries are introducing V.I.P. loyalty cards, just like a coffee card from your favourite cafe, but instead of caffeinated goodness they will stamp your card for every $2.50 DVD or yellow sticker Pay Fiction item you borrow. Every fifth stamp will earn you a free Pay Fiction or DVD hire. The V.I.P. Card deal is valid until 31 August, so get stamping!

Book Bingo: Fun for Grown-ups – Thursday 20 July to Thursday 31 August. Registrations are now open with a launch on Thursday 20th July at 10.30am at Thames, Mercury Bay and Tairua Libraries. There will be weekly meetings reviewing and discussing books and there will also be time for a cuppa and biscuits. There will also be a major prize draw at the end of the programme. For further information click here.

Brits at the Beach

6 – 8 October 2017

Brits at the Beach is a celebration of all things British, held in Whangamata. The event Includes a car and bike show, whiskey dinner, village fete, live concerts, organized drives and much more.